Apparatus for the wet treatment and subsequent drying of a textile fabric web

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a device for the wet treatment and subsequent drying of a textile fabric web, in which the web passed through a treatment chamber and a liquid treatment medium which comprises at least one organic solvent is supplied from a container to the web. The web then passes through a drying chamber wherein a stream of hot air is passed through the fabric web to evaporate the treatment medium which is then passed to a recovery device adjacent the drying chamber for the recovery of organic solvent removed by the air stream. Residual treatment liquid in the container is passed from the container to an evaporator located in the drying chamber from which it is passed by the air stream to the recovery unit.

[ Nov. 11, 1975 United States Patent [191 Bruckner APPARATUS FOR THE WETTREATMENT 3,643,475 2/1972 68/18 0 AND SUBSEQUENT DRYING OF A TEXTILEFABRIC WEB Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Homsby Assistant E.\'aminerPhilipR. C06

[76] Inventor: Kurt Bruckner, 6122 Erbach/Odenwald, Donnerberg, GermanyABSTRACT [22] Filed: Apr. 29, 1974 This invention relates to a devicefor the wet treat- [211 Appl' No" 465,062 ment and subsequent drying ofa textile fabric web, in which the web passed through a treatmentchamber and a liquid treatment medium which comprises at least oneorganic solvent is supplied from a container Foreign ApplicationPriority Data May 4, 1973 Germany...... 167701 to the web. The web thenpasses through a drying chamber wherein a stream of hot air is passedthrough the fabric web to evaporate the treatment medium which is thenpassed to a recovery device adjacent the drying chamber for the recoveryof organic solvent re- [52] US. 68/18 R; 68/20; 68/202;

68/208; 68/DIG. 5 D06B l/l4; D06B 9/06 68/5 D, 5 E, 8, 19, 19.1,

[51] Int. [58] Field of Search.,.........

68/18 R, 18 C, 18 D, 20, DIG. 5, 202, 208; moved by the air stream.Residual treatment liquid in the container is passed from the containerto an evaporator located in the drying chamber from which it is .m m wm6U w mF m i .mw mm 2 m, e m .w 4 m y 10 d m p mm MAM .lP" Sm mm m rT .mSS e R w my 4 1 u w M US. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 3,918,276

'1 APPARATUS FOR'TH'E'WET" T EATMENT AND SUBSEQUENT DRYING or A TEXTILEFABRIC WEB i BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Treatment chemicals forfinishing textile fabric webs are nowadays often applied to the web whendissolved in an organic solvent, since as compared with operating withaqueous mixes this mode of operation inter alia avoids the waterproblem, permits working with a low mixture ratio and leads to hightreatment rates. I

The drying of a textile fabric web treated with a finishing medium inthis manner is usually carried out in a drying chamber by a circulatedhot air stream. In view of the relatively high price of organicsolvents, and in order to protect the environment, this hot air streamafter being used for drying is fed to a recovery device, wherein theorganic solvent separated from the air stream is recovered.

On the other hand residues of mixture also remain in the container forthe liquid treatment medium provided in the treatment chamber, and theorganic solvent should also be recovered from these. The same applies tothe rinsing liquid by which the said container has to be cleaned beforea change of treatment medium. A separate small distillation unit, forinstance a bubble distiller, has hitherto been provided for thistreatment of liquid treatment medium residues, but the use of thisinvolves considerable problems, since the treatment media are usuallyreactive film-formers and adhere to the heat exchange surfaces.

The invention is thus based on the problem of avoiding these defects inproviding a device of the type described in such manner that theequipment is considerably simplified and is adapted to operate withoutdisturbance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention this problem issolved in that the drying chamber contains an evaporation dish which isconnected to the container provided in the treatment chamber by a valvecontrol discharge pipe.

In this way mixture residues from the container and also solvents whichare used to clean the container and the other parts of the treatmentchamber can be deposited in the evaporation dish in the drying chamber,where they are vaporised by the hot air stream used for the drying. Theorganic solvents contained in these mixture residues and in the cleaningliquid are thus extracted by the circulated hot air stream and arerecovered in the distillation unit used to prepare the circulating flowof drying air. A separate distillation unit for the treatment chamber isthus unnecessary, and this not only considerably simplifies the plant,but also makes the operation thereof much less liable to disturbance.

Preferably the device is arranged with the treatment chamber above thedrying chamber. In this way the re sidual quantity of treatment mediumin the container and which is to be removed, together with the rinsingliquid, upon opening of the valve in the discharge pipe, can flowgravitationally down to the evaporation dish in the drying chamberwithout the aid of a pump.

The evaporation dish can be provided with a removable lining preferablyof foil, so that the thickened residues from the treatment medium can bedestroyed together with the foil,

If the wet treatment involves the application of chemical materialsdissolved in an organic solvent. the container for the liquid treatmentmedium preferably consists 'of a trough into which dips a squeezerroller embraced by the web along an adjustable circumferential segment.I

The device in accordance with the invention can however in principlealso be used if the wet treatment consists of a washing or cleaningprocess. It is then mainly oily material, washed out of the web, whichremains behind in the evaporation dish in the drying chamber. The use ofthe method provided by the invention for machines with a washingtreatment followed by drying will however mainly be suitable for smallerplants, since the evaporation of large amounts of washing fluid in thedrying chamber would in general require this chamber to be ofundesirably large dimensions.

However the use of the system provided by the invention in a device fortreatment with finishing chemicals dissolved in organic solvents, due tothe small amounts of mixture used and the consequently minor amounts ofresidue does not in general require the drying chamber to belarge-dimensioned.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of one embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevational view of a sec ond embodiment ofthe invention.

FIG. 1 shows a device wherein a textile web 1 first passes through atreatment chamber 2 and then through a drying chamber 3.

The finishing chemical substance, dissolved in an organic solvent, isapplied in the treatment chamber 2 by means of a squeezer roller 4 whichdips into a trough 5.

The web 1 is then conveyed through the drying chamber 3 by means of anair-permeable conveyor belt 6, if necessary being also held at the edgesby tenter chains, and in said chamber is dried by a circulating flow ofhot air. This air stream, enriched with organic solvents after passingthrough the web, is then fed to a recovery unit (not shown) where it isfreed of the solvent, before being re-heated and returned to the dryingchamber 3.

In the lower part of the drying chamber 3 is placed an evaporating dish7 which is connected by a scalable discharge pipe 8 to the trough 5 inthe treatment chamber 2. The evaporating dish 7 is lined by a foil 9.

If some of the treatment liquid remains in the trough 5 after thetreatment of a textile web, this liquid is removed via the dischargepipe 8 into the evaporating dish '7. The same applies for the cleaningliquid used for cleaning the roller 4 and trough 5 before freshtreatment medium is fed into the trough 5.

The hot stream of air circulated in the drying chamber 3 vaporises theorganic solvent contained in the evaporating dish 7, which together withthe circulated air stream is fed to a distillation unit (not shown)where it is recovered. In general the evaporating dish 7 then onlyretains finishing chemicals, and these are destroyed together with thelining foil 9.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment wherein a suction drum 6' is provided in thedrying chamber 3' as conveyor means for the web 1. Otherwise thisembodiment corresponds to that described above, and hence a separatedescription is unnecessary.

What we claim is:

1. In a device for the wet treatment and subsequent drying of a textilefabric web, said device including a treatment chamber wherein a liquidtreatment medium which comprises at least one organic solvent is appliedto the web from a container as the web is passed through said treatmentchamber, a drying chamber located to receive the web from said treatmentchamber, means associated with said drying chamber for passing a streamof hot air through the fabric web, and a recovery device adjacent thedrying chamber for the recovery of organic solvent removed by said hotair stream; the improvement comprising an evaporation dish in saiddrying chamber, and a valve controlled discharge pipe connecting saidcontainer to said dish for conducting treatment medium for saidcontainer to said dish.

2. A device as claimed in claim I, wherein said treatment chamber isdisposed above said drying chamber.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said evaporating dish isprovided with a removable lining, preferably of foil.

4. A device claimed as in claim 1, wherein the treatment mediumcomprises treatment materials dissolved in organic solvent, saidcontainer for the liquid treatment medium comprising a trough and asqueezer roller partially submerged in the trough and engageable withthe web to transfer medium from said container to UNITED STATES PATENTAND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION e PATENT NO. I 3,918,276

DATED November ll, 1975 V 3 Kurt Bruckner It is certified that errorappears in the ab0veidentified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below: 0

In the Abstract, line 5, after "solvent" insert In the Abstract, line 8,after "web' insert Q Column 2, line 42, cancel "not. shown" and insert--R-.

Column 2, line 46, cancel "sealable" Column 2, line 47, after "pipe"insert -controlled by a shut-off valve V.

a Column 2, line 52, after "7" insert by opening valve V.

Column 2, line 58, cancel "distillation unit (not shown) where" 5 Column2, line 59, cancel "it is recovered" and substitute K -recovery unitR--. l 9

Signed and Scaled this second Day Of March 1976 O [SEAL] Attest: RUTH c.MASON c. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner nj'latents andTrademarks i

1. In a device for the wet treatment and subsequent drying of a textilefabric web, said device including a treatment chamber wherein a liquidtreatment medium which comprises at least one organic solvent is appliedto the web from a container as the web is passed through said treatmentchamber, a drying chamber located to receive the web from said treatmentchamber, means associated with said drying chamber for passing a streamof hot air through the fabric web, and a recovery device adjacent thedrying chamber for the recovery of organic solvent removed by said hotair stream; the improvement comprising an evaporation dish in saiddrying chamber, and a valve controlled discharge pipe connecting saidcontainer to said dish for conducting treatment medium for saidcontainer to said dish.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidtreatment chamber is disposed above said drying chamber.
 3. A device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said evaporating dish is provided with aremovable lining, preferably of foil.
 4. A device claimed as in claim 1,wherein the treatment medium comprises treatment materials dissolved inorganic solvent, said container for the liquid treatment mediumcomprising a trough and a squeezer roller partially submerged in thetrough and engageable with the web to transfer medium from saidcontainer to said web.